Detroit Archives - Page 4 of 6

Friday Favorites: Michigan Football

August 29, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 2 Comments

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Michigan football is back on Saturday! I can’t wait for some tailgating and football watching fun this season!

For my Friday Favorites this week, I wanted to highlight some of the fun Michigan items that have been on my list, but that I haven’t pulled the trigger on yet.

1. toms campus classics ($48)

Toms has come out with a line of shoes specifically for your favorite college team. These would be perfect to wear to a tailgate.

2. Charming Charlies University of Michigan Victory Hour Watch ($22)

This is so girlie and I love it along with the price! They have a number of other schools as well.

3. Dark Blue and Maize Flats ($58)

These would be great to wear to work on a spirit day or for one of the away game parties we will most likely attend this season.

4. Gabriella Rocha Game Day Tank Maxi ($45.99)

I love, love, love this game day maxi dress! They have different styles and colors depending on what school you root for.

5. Blue & Yellow Jersey Infinity Scarf ($18)

I thought this would be fun for a non-traditional tailgate outfit.

What are your favorite Michigan and/or collegiate accessories this season?

If you would like to join the Oh Hey Friday Linkup with The Farmer’s Wife and September Farm just click the button below for more details.

I am also participating in the Friday Favorites Linkup with A Little Bit of Everything Blog, Grace and Love Blog and Momfessionals. You can click the button below for more information and to join the linkup.

For more Friday favorites, click here.

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion, Five on Friday Tagged With: #GoBlue, Friday Favorites, Michigan, University of Michigan

Let’s De-Stress with YogaOutlet.com

August 28, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received a $50 gift card to YogaOutlet.com to select products for this review. All opinions are my own.

I love doing yoga! I always want to start a more regular yoga practice because I love the benefits that yoga gives me. I originally started doing yoga years ago, when I was working a stressful job. I thought that yoga would help me relax and de-stress and it did just that. I stopped practicing once that situation had resolved itself, but last year I got really into the P90x yoga and LOVED it! After doing it for a while, I was more flexible than ever and I loved reaching physical goals that I never thought I would be able to achieve. I don’t know why I stopped doing it, but I have been thinking of starting a regular practice for a while now.

Enter YogaOutlet.com…

I received a gift certificate to shop at YogaOutlet and wasn’t going to pass it up. I was in desperate need of new yoga pants, so I ended up getting these Pure Karma Kua Wela Capri Crystal Wash Pants ($40.95). I had a little money left over and also needed a yoga bag for my mat, so I settled on a blue Hugger Mugger Ultra Yoga Bag ($11.95) which fit my mat perfectly!

I recently discovered a fun, free outdoor yoga class downtown on the Detroit Riverfront and decided that it would be the perfect opportunity to test out my new yoga purchases. The class is hosted by Urban Solace and runs through August 29th. I wish I would have known about it at the beginning of summer, but I will definitely be there every week if they do it again next year!

What a fantastic view!

I am loving my new yoga pants!

I love that my mat isn’t unrolling and now secure in my new yoga bag!

I had a great experience with YogaOutlet and can’t wait to shop there again. My order was processed quickly and I had my items in less than a week, which was awesome! I am so excited about it, I picked out five wish list items for my next purchases:

Manduka Pro Mat

I have heard that this is the best mat out there! I have a cheapy mat from I don’t even remember where, but it has served me well so far. I would like a little more padding and it sounds like this is the one to get.

Gaiam Dragonfly Yoga Block

If I am going to start a regular practice again, I definitely need a yoga block to help me reach those goals. I just loved this one!

Yoga Glyphs Muscle Tee

I love this! You can get “Be Still,” “Peace,” or “Surrender.”

Beyond Yoga Back Gathered Legging

I definitely need some hot pink yoga pants!

Gore Women’s Sunlight 3.0 Ombre Tank

I love anything ombre and this top would go great with my hot pink yoga pants! The little bow is so cute!

If you are interested in shopping at YogaOutlet, then I have good news for you! They have generously offered to give my readers a 15% discount by using the code “bridgepose” at checkout.

What are your favorite items at YogaOutlet?

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion, Fitness Tagged With: Detroit, Manduka, Urban Solace, Yoga, YogaOutlet.com

You’re Invited: Kate Spade Hello Tokyo

August 9, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 3 Comments

I was generously offered the opportunity to host a party at Kate Spade at the Somerset Collection next Thursday, August 14, 2014 to celebrate the launch of their new Tokyo Collection. If you are in the area next Thursday, I hope you can join us!

In honor of the new collection, I took a special trip to the store to photograph some of my favorite pieces to share them with you.

Kate Spade Small Square Studs ($38)

I couldn’t find this particular color online, but these are a great blue/green/purple color that sort of changes depending on the angle. I already have the studs in clear and pink/gold.

Idiom Necklaces

I didn’t see these online, but I loved these necklaces, the gold one says “Good as Gold” and the silver one says “Find the Silver Lining.”

Happy Hour Flask ($40)

I’ve mentioned this flask before, and own it myself.

Day Tripper Earrings ($48)

Say Yes Keyring ($48)

I loved this keyring because it looks just like the one from the first Sex and the City movie.

Hello Tokyo Clutch ($298)

Cedar Street Maise ($298)

The Tokyo Collection promotes these bright new colors and I love it!

Karolina Pump ($328)

These aren’t in the Tokyo collection, but still a staple in the store, I love the sparkle!

Kate Spade Lana Pump ($350)

I ended up getting these for myself during a ridiculous sale and paid less than half of the price, so yay!

Denim Kimberly Dress ($548)

I loved the novelty of this dress, the denim with the embellishments…so cute! This is perfectly on trend for fall.

What are your Kate Spade favorites?

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion Tagged With: #duchessintokyo, Hello Tokyo, Kate Spade

Detroit Review: A Healing Touch Spa

July 21, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

I am still working on recapping Weddingpalooza 2014 and wanted to mention this awesome place we went for my friend Tracy’s bachelorette party. As my grandmother and mother were both breast cancer survivors this struck a chord with me.

I may have mentioned that my friend Tracy loves to hot tub and relax, so that was exactly what she wanted to do for her bachelorette party. She found a place that hosts bridal parties for a day of spa treatments, relaxation, champagne and hot tubbing called A Healing Touch Spa.

I didn’t know it at the time, but A Healing Touch has a much bigger mission. They are a nonprofit organization that provides free massages to cancer patients undergoing treatment and cancer survivors. I could not get over how amazing that is and had to share it!

As for the bachelorette party, A Healing Touch was a garden oasis! (All pictures taken by A Healing Touch – I was too busy enjoying the party).

We got to hang out in the big outdoor tent and drink champagne while waiting for our services.

I had an amazing massage one of the best I’ve ever had. It made me feel even better knowing that part of that money was going to support the mission.

They are also set up to do pregnancy massages, which was great for my friend Carolyn, who was in heaven finally getting to lay on her stomach on the pregnancy pillow.

They even set up a special cabana just for the bride!

They offer a number of other services, like couples massages with dinner, mud wraps, salt scrubs, hot stone massages and more! We will definitely be getting all of our massages at A Healing Touch in the future.

I also wanted to share this in case any of you know someone with cancer that might benefit from free massages while they are going through their treatments. I wish I would have known about this place when my mom went through radiation.

You can visit their website here. They are currently running an awesome Groupon for a Swedish massage for $35 here.

If you’ve visited A Healing Touch before, I would love to know how your experience was.

For more Detroit reviews, click here.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: A Healing Touch, Bachelorette party, Detroit, Massage Therapy, Spa

The Lincoln Luxury Experience

July 15, 2014 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

I was recently contacted by Lincoln Motor Company to attend a VIP Experience to celebrate the all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC. The event was held at the Shinola Detroit store, which is a fun place to visit. Shinola is an American manufacturer headquartered right here in Detroit. They make beautiful watches that are also available at Nordstrom if any of you are looking to make some extra reward points.

Since John had to work, I decided to bring my best friend, Jen as my date and have a girl’s night. As soon as we arrived, we headed to the bar to get a custom cocktail created by The Sugar House (if you haven’t been, make sure to get there ASAP). They had amazing Detroit75’s which were fun to watch them make.

It seems that everyone was out and about, because we met up with Lauren from Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood and Lish Dorset as well as some of my other Detroit pals (Lauren was taking the photo).

Photo courtesy of Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood

Since we were at Shinola, we had to check out some watches. I tried on the new Runwell Contrast Chronograph (definitely going on my wish list):

Before we left, we had to take the Lincoln MKC out on a test drive! Lucky us, they had drivers to take us on a spin through the city which gave me a chance to check out some of the great features in the vehicle.

The interior was elegant and Jen and I got to check out some of the fun features like the awesome panoramic sun roof. I have never seen anything like it! I also liked hearing about the Lane-Keeping System which vibrates the wheel if you happen to doze off and are drifting out of your lane.

I think my favorite feature was the purse holder they had under the console. I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve seen something like this! I could definitely use that feature on my current vehicle!

I had a blast at this event and loved catching up with some old friends!

If you want to learn more about the Lincoln MKC visit Lincoln on Facebook and Twitter or search for the #LincolnMKC hashtag.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: #LincolnMKC, 2015 Lincoln MKC, Detroit, Lincoln Motor Company, shinola, The Sugar House

Five on Friday: Pewabic Garden Party Edition

June 6, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 8 Comments

It’s time for another edition of Five on Friday with A Liz Adventures, The Good Life Blog, Hello Happiness and Carolina Charm.

Every year, I attend Pewabic Pottery’s annual For the House & Garden Show, or as we like to call it, The Garden Party. Back in 2004, I joined the Pottery as the Special Events and Membership Coordinator. This was my first job out of college and I learned so much from working there. I also fell in love with the Pottery and its mission. Check out my previous post for additional background.

Pewabic is on the register of National Historic Landmarks and is a Detroit treasure. I love coming back to this annual event every year to reconnect with old friends and check out all of the awesome new pieces. It also reminds me of how far I have come and makes me grateful for all of the opportunities I’ve had so far in my career.

At the Garden Party, Pewabic introduces its new pieces, and don’t worry those who don’t live in Michigan, you can buy online or via phone. Here are some of the awesome new pieces presented at this year’s party:

1. Detroit Tigers Olde English D Tile ($50)

This tile was presented last year and this year they have a two-tone option. If you’ve ever visited Comerica Park, you might have noticed the 325 Pewabic tiles that decorate the facility.

2.Detroit Map Tile

This is so new, they don’t even have it online yet, but there are all sorts of amazing options. I loved this framed version.

3. Detroit Ornament ($32)

This Detroit ornament is another brand new option. It will look great on our tree next Christmas!

4. Cog Tile

The tile picture is coming soon, but in the meantime, here is a preview. Every year Pewabic makes a pin to hand out at the Garden Party based on their new tile.

5. Botanicals Garment Rack ($390)

I cannot wait to get a house so I can set this up in the mudroom!

What Pewabic item is on your favorites list?

For more Five on Friday posts click here.

Filed Under: Detroit, Five on Friday Tagged With: Detroit, Five on Friday, Pewabic Pottery

Birmingham Restaurant Week

February 3, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 1 Comment

Better late than never – its Birmingham Restaurant Week February 3-7, 2014. If you have the opportunity to get out and experience it this week I highly recommend it. There are some fantastic restaurants to try in Birmingham (or the Birm as my friends affectionally refer to it). If this is your first Restaurant Week experience, let me explain how it works. Birmingham restaurants are offering a fixed lunch and dinner menu that you can try for a discounted price ($15 for lunch, $30 for dinner) that usually includes a three course meal. You can click on the above link to check out the menus and make a reservation.

The following Birmingham restaurants are participating in this year’s event:

Bella Piatti
Big Rock Chop House
Café Via
Cameron’s Steakhouse
Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Forest Grill
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
Luxe Bar & Grill
Peabody’s Restaurant
Phoenicia
Rojo Mexican Bistro
Salvatore Scallopini
Social Kitchen & Bar
Streetside Seafood
Tallulah Wine Bar & Bistro
The Rugby Grille
The Stand Gastro Bistro
Toast
Townhouse Bistro

My favorites are Big Rock Chop House; John and I had our rehearsal dinner there. They have fantastic steak and wine! I also love Toast – so delish! I will have to squeeze in a date night with the hubby on Friday so we can take advantage of this great deal!

Are you excited for Birmingham Restaurant Week? What restaurants are you planning to try out?

For more Detroit posts, click here.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: Birmingham Restaurant Week

Red Carpet Charity Preview Glamour

January 11, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 1 Comment

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of DressFirst for Sverve. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s that time of year again…Auto Show Prom, a.k.a. North American International Auto Show Red Carpet Charity Preview event on January 17th from 6-9 p.m. Many of us in Detroit work in the automotive industry (myself and my husband included) and have had the opportunity at one time or another to attend the Charity Preview. John and I have attended once before and would love to go again.

Many auto shows around the country have some sort of charity preview event associated with them, but in Detroit this is one of the biggest events of the season. It’s also fun to see everyone get dressed up for a good cause. The proceeds from the Charity Preview go to support children’s charities. Tickets are $350 per person, so it is a real treat to attend if you get the opportunity. This year Sheryl Crow is performing, so it would be a fun one to go to.

There are also a number of after parties following the Charity Preview hosted by various organizations around town, so there are plenty of reasons to get dressed up!

I thought I would take this opportunity to share my top five dress picks from DressFirst for the Auto Show Charity Preview. Some things to remember when choosing a dress for this event:

Keep it classy – this is a work networking event, your boss or future boss might attend
Don’t go with a bridesmaid dress – it’s obvious
Most of the Charity Preview consists of walking around on a hard concrete floor, so 4-inch heels might not be your best bet

Here are some of my favorite options:

Mermaid Scoop Neck Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Beading ($155.99)

This is so classy, I prefer Royal Blue, but they have a wide selection.

Sheath V-neck Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($152.99)

This is so elegant, with just a little bit of sexy in the back. Plus, I love Navy (notice a trend here?).

Sheath One-Shoulder Sweep Train Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($150.99)

I love the color on this one, plus I think it would be very flattering in the front if you have a little tummy to hide. I like the open back, because it shows a little skin, but not too much.

Sheath One-Shoulder Sweep Train Charmeuse Evening Dress ($144.99)

I’m not sure why I like this dress, because animal print usually isn’t my thing, but I think this would be really fun and playful.

Sheath One-Shoulder Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($146.99)

I love the color and the beading on this one.

A-Line/Princess One-Shoulder Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading Sequins ($151.99)

I have been on a pink kick lately, I’m loving this princess style dress!

A-Line/Princess One-Shoulder Court Train Chiffon Lace Evening Dress With Beading ($169.99)

This dress is so unique, I love all of the different details, plus it is in Radiant Orchid, our Pantone Color of the Year.

A-Line/Princess Sweetheart Court Train Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading Sequins ($147.99)

This is a more traditional dress, but I like the cut and the sleeves just give it that pop of glamour.

A-Line/Princess Scoop Neck Floor-Length Chiffon Evening Dress With Ruffle Beading ($154.99)

Blue is my favorite color, so I couldn’t resist posting this look. I love the neckline and think this shows the right amount of cleavage for the event.

Last but not least, we are in Detroit and it will be cold, so you need a furry wrap to stay warm in your dress.

Faux Fur Special Occasion Shawl ($29.99)

I would love to know if you plan to attend the Charity Preview this year, so send me your photos and have a great time!

Filed Under: Detroit, Fashion Tagged With: Auto Show Charity Preview, Auto Show Prom, Detroit, DressFirst, NAIAS

Ann Arbor Restaurant Week

January 7, 2014 by DetroitDuchess 2 Comments

It’s 2014, which means a new slew of metro Detroit Restaurant Weeks are upon us. The first one is Ann Arbor Restaurant Week coming January 12-17, 2014. If this is your first Restaurant Week experience, let me explain how it works. Ann Arbor restaurants are offering a fixed lunch and dinner menu that you can try for a discounted price ($15 for lunch, $28 for dinner) that usually includes a three course meal. Many of the Ann Arbor restaurants are also offering 2-for-1 deals as well. You can click on the above link to check out the menus and make a reservation.

The following Ann Arbor restaurants are participating in this year’s event:

I think I see an Ann Arbor date night in our future! The Melting Pot is always a great deal during restaurant week and John and I have also been to Vinology once before we got engaged. I would love to hear your recommendations for what else we should try in Ann Arbor.

Are you excited for Ann Arbor Restaurant Week? What restaurants are you planning to try out?

For more Detroit posts, click here.

Filed Under: Detroit Tagged With: Ann Arbor Restaurant Week

Holiday Recap

December 30, 2013 by DetroitDuchess 1 Comment

The Christmas break has been fabulous! I’ve loved my time off from work and school and have enjoyed spending time with my husband and family. As Santa (a.k.a. my wonderful husband) brought me a new iPhone right before Christmas, I have finally been able to take good pictures (and have the space to take them) and can start doing my weekend recaps again (hooray!).

On the first Friday of my Christmas break, I went to the fifth annual Passion for Fashion at the Shenandoah Country Club to benefit the Alexander and Gabrielle Mansour Memorial Fund. Since I moonlight as a teacher to fashion students I’ve been trying to attend more industry events. This event was really fun because one of my former students was running the show and one of my future students was working the show. I also got to catch up with my department head at the show and talk about next semester’s curriculum:

On Saturday, John and I went to a holiday party in cocktail attire. I also got a Sephora makeover (more to come on that later). I loved my dress too, which was from one of my White Collar recaps, here. Unfortunately, someone spilled their drink on me, so I hope the dry cleaner can get it out, because it has the potential to be one of my favorites.

Then on Sunday, I hosted a Painting with a Twist Event for my Phi Sigma Sigma alumnae group. We painted the Eiffel Tower and it was so much fun! I was impressed by how creative everyone was.

That takes us into Christmas. John and I had a great holiday this year and that was due to our amazing families. We are so blessed to have them. We also can’t get enough of our niece, she is such a cute little nugget:

Santa was so good to me this holiday season! Aside from the new iPhone, my husband got me this beautiful Michael Kors watch!

Michael Kors ‘Everest’ Baguette Crystal Bezel Bracelet Watch

My parents got me the Temptu airbrush system and I couldn’t be more excited! It is even better than I imagined. There will be more to come on that after I get the hang of it.

Temptu Deluxe Air Brush Kit

After Christmas we went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra with my parents. They definitely put on a good show! We went to the Macaroni Grill before the show and had a great time!

On Saturday, John and I drove down to Chicago to meet up with some friends for the Michigan game. On our way down, we stopped at the cutest place for lunch, Tavern 109 in Williamston- I had a fantastic wine flight:

We made it to Chicago and went to Duffy’s Tavern & Grille (a.k.a. Chicago’s Big House) to watch the game. It is really fun, too bad the game didn’t turn out better for us…

Before we drove home the next day, we stopped at Pizzeria Due for some authentic deep dish Chicago pizza…YUM!

All in all, it was a fantastic break! I am looking forward to spending New Year’s Eve with my husband and friends.

How was your holiday?

Filed Under: Detroit, Travel Tagged With: Chicago's Big House, Duffy's Tavern & Grille, Painting with a Twist, Passion for Fashion, Pizzeria Due, Sephora, Tavern 109

Keep in Touch